In late 2013, the 7th District Office of City Councilman Nick Mosby, Reservoir Hill Improvement Council, Coppin Heights Community Development Corporation, and Druid Heights Community Development Corporation invited the Neighborhood Design Center (NDC) to facilitate a conceptual design process for the West North Avenue streetscape. These organizations had earlier reached out to the Baltimore City Department of Transportation (BCDOT).

West North Avenue in Coppin Heights. Image by Ross Hackett.

The Neighborhood Design Center facilitated an extensive 18-month process of visioning and design with technical and design expertise provided by its volunteers and with the neighborhood knowledge of core stakeholders. The process attempted to be as inclusionary as possible, with numerous opportunities and means for engagement with area residents and other community organizations. The West North Avenue Streetscape Conceptual Master Plan c NDC recruited volunteer professionals with expertise in urban planning, architecture, transportation planning, landscape architecture, community engagement, civil engineering, marketing, and graphic design to serve as resources for the stakeholder groups.

Design review in Coppin Heights. Image by Laura Wheaton.

The first draft of the plan was released in Summer 2014, and the second was released in December 2014. Both the first and second drafts were provided for comment to community groups and city agencies. Based on those comments, additional community engagement, and meetings with Core Stakeholders, the third and final draft was prepared. It included a health impact assessment of the proposals created by the Baltimore Health Department. The final plan was pre-released in June 2015 and was submitted to BCDOT for consideration of funding and implementation. Additionally, stakeholder groups, community organizations, and other nonprofits may implement some of the action items in this plan.

Together the 28 NDC professional design volunteers on this project contributed 1,744 hours of professional service to the neighborhoods of West North Avenue, with an estimated market value of $110,032.62. This does not include the time or value of coordination by NDC staff nor the value of the health impact assessment.

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